Classifications

• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H05—ELECTRIC TECHNIQUES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • H05K—PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS
  • H05K5/00—Casings, cabinets or drawers for electric apparatus
  • H05K5/06—Hermetically-sealed casings
  • H05K5/061—Hermetically-sealed casings sealed by a gasket held between a removable cover and a body, e.g. O-ring, packing
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F28—HEAT EXCHANGE IN GENERAL
  • F28D—HEAT-EXCHANGE APPARATUS, NOT PROVIDED FOR IN ANOTHER SUBCLASS, IN WHICH THE HEAT-EXCHANGE MEDIA DO NOT COME INTO DIRECT CONTACT
  • F28D15/00—Heat-exchange apparatus with the intermediate heat-transfer medium in closed tubes passing into or through the conduit walls ; Heat-exchange apparatus employing intermediate heat-transfer medium or bodies
  • F28D15/02—Heat-exchange apparatus with the intermediate heat-transfer medium in closed tubes passing into or through the conduit walls ; Heat-exchange apparatus employing intermediate heat-transfer medium or bodies in which the medium condenses and evaporates, e.g. heat pipes
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F28—HEAT EXCHANGE IN GENERAL
  • F28F—DETAILS OF HEAT-EXCHANGE AND HEAT-TRANSFER APPARATUS, OF GENERAL APPLICATION
  • F28F9/00—Casings; Header boxes; Auxiliary supports for elements; Auxiliary members within casings
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01F—MAGNETS; INDUCTANCES; TRANSFORMERS; SELECTION OF MATERIALS FOR THEIR MAGNETIC PROPERTIES
  • H01F27/00—Details of transformers or inductances, in general
  • H01F27/02—Casings
  • H01F27/025—Constructional details relating to cooling
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01F—MAGNETS; INDUCTANCES; TRANSFORMERS; SELECTION OF MATERIALS FOR THEIR MAGNETIC PROPERTIES
  • H01F27/00—Details of transformers or inductances, in general
  • H01F27/08—Cooling; Ventilating
  • H01F27/10—Liquid cooling
  • H01F27/16—Water cooling
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H05—ELECTRIC TECHNIQUES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • H05K—PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS
  • H05K5/00—Casings, cabinets or drawers for electric apparatus
  • H05K5/06—Hermetically-sealed casings
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H05—ELECTRIC TECHNIQUES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • H05K—PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS
  • H05K7/00—Constructional details common to different types of electric apparatus
  • H05K7/14—Mounting supporting structure in casing or on frame or rack
  • H05K7/1422—Printed circuit boards receptacles, e.g. stacked structures, electronic circuit modules or box like frames
  • H05K7/1427—Housings
  • H05K7/1432—Housings specially adapted for power drive units or power converters
  • H05K7/14337—Housings specially adapted for power drive units or power converters specially adapted for underwater operation
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H05—ELECTRIC TECHNIQUES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • H05K—PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS
  • H05K7/00—Constructional details common to different types of electric apparatus
  • H05K7/20—Modifications to facilitate cooling, ventilating, or heating
  • H05K7/2089—Modifications to facilitate cooling, ventilating, or heating for power electronics, e.g. for inverters for controlling motor
  • H05K7/209—Heat transfer by conduction from internal heat source to heat radiating structure
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F28—HEAT EXCHANGE IN GENERAL
  • F28D—HEAT-EXCHANGE APPARATUS, NOT PROVIDED FOR IN ANOTHER SUBCLASS, IN WHICH THE HEAT-EXCHANGE MEDIA DO NOT COME INTO DIRECT CONTACT
  • F28D21/00—Heat-exchange apparatus not covered by any of the groups F28D1/00 - F28D20/00
  • F28D2021/0019—Other heat exchangers for particular applications; Heat exchange systems not otherwise provided for
  • F28D2021/0028—Other heat exchangers for particular applications; Heat exchange systems not otherwise provided for for cooling heat generating elements, e.g. for cooling electronic components or electric devices
  • F28D2021/0029—Heat sinks

Definitions

• This invention is concerned with power equipment for use underwater, e.g. under the sea, such power equipment inco ⁇ orating at least one power device.
• prime movers e.g. engines
• power transmission devices e.g. mechanical, electrical, pneumatic, hydraulic
• the invention is particularly applicable to power equipment inco ⁇ orating a power device in the form of an electrical sub-station inco ⁇ orating a transformer
• the aim of the invention is to provide power equipment with an efficient cooling
• the power equipment for use underwater, the power equipment having a casing containing at least one power device (as hereinbefore defined) which produces heat, in use, an exterior surface of the casing being, in heat transmission relationship with the surrounding water, the casing having a passage
• the passage is provided by a substantially tubular element extending through the casing which passage is open at at least one end; preferably the substantially tubular element is of circular cylindrical form and is open at both ends.
• the substantially tubular element may be mounted for limited axial movement in the casing; with such an embodiment shock absorbing means may be provided to limit and/or control movement of the substantially tubular element.
• At least one heat sink may be mounted in the casing adjacent to the passage to take up
• a heat sink may be provided to discharge heat to the surrounding water, the heat sink being mounted on either the tubular element or the casing.
• the casing may inco ⁇ orate at least one array of cooling vanes to take up convection heat; such an array of cooling vanes may be attached to said tubular element.
• the or an array may be mounted on the inner surface of the casing.
• the casing may contain a fluid which, in use, circulates therein by natural circulation
• the invention provides power equipment for use underwater, the power equipment comprising a pressure vessel having a first chamber in which
• At least one power device (as hereinbefore defined) which produces heat, in use, is mounted and a second chamber at least partially filled with a fluid, the second chamber being in heat conductive relationship with the power device and also having a wall in contact with the water surrounding the power equipment, whereby heat produced by the power device is transmitted to the second chamber and thence transmitted to the surrounding water.
• the fluid in the second chamber may be a liquid, e.g. water.
• the second chamber may be connected to a volume compensating means to which liquid may flow from the second chamber or vice versa.
• the second chamber is only partially filled with liquid and a volume is defined in the second chamber above the liquid; the volume above the liquid may be cOnnected to an evacuation means actuable to reduce the pressure in said volume. It is also envisaged that the second chamber may be connected by conduit means with
• the first chamber may have a volume containing a further fluid and the heat exchange arrangement may comprise a coaxial-tube arrangement for the flow of said further fluid therethrough.
• tube arrangement may comprise an outer tube extending outwardly from the first chamber and in contact with said surrounding water and an inner tube disposed within the outer tube and terminating at one end within the first chamber near to the power device, said further fluid during use of the power equipment being caused to flow first inside the inner tube and then
• the second chamber may have a domed element whose exterior domed surface provides the wall in contact with the surrounding water for the transfer of heat thereto from the fluid in the second chamber, and the surface of the domed element in contact with the water may be formed with corrugations, vanes or ribs.
• Movement of the fluid in the power equipment may occur by means of natural circulation and/or by forced circulation.
• Figure 2 shows a detailed side view of part of a modified version of Figure 1 with the tubular element and associated heat sink shown in section on the right side thereof;
• Figure 3 shows a sectional view on line II— II on Figure 2;
• the equipment will normally be fixedly positioned underwater, and in such a
• the equipment 10 as illustrated in Figure 1 comprises a casing 11 adapted to be
• the casing 11 comprises a top half-shell 12 and a bottom half shell 13 abutting at respective flanges 15, 16.
• the half-shells 12, 13 are essentially symmetrical apart from the formation of abutting radially extending
• surface 18 is formed with annular grooves 19 of channel- section for receiving sealing O-rings 20 and both flanges are formed with bores 21 (threaded, if appropriate), to receive fastening elements, e.g. screws or bolts.
• fastening elements e.g. screws or bolts.
• Other forms of sealing and fastening arrangements at the flanges are possible, e.g. the sealing grooves and O-rings may be
• the casing 11 thus formed encloses and supports at least one power device referenced
• Such device (comprising e.g. electrical transformer equipment) will have suitable connections, e.g. power lines to a base location, e.g. a fixed ship, off-shore installation or the shore and/or to load equipment; the connections extend through the casing 1 1 via suitable sealed apertures (not shown).
• a base location e.g. a fixed ship, off-shore installation or the shore and/or to load equipment; the connections extend through the casing 1 1 via suitable sealed apertures (not shown).
• the device 30 will be mounted in such a way that the heat produced thereby is dissipated
• the casing 1 1 has contained therein a cooling fluid which will usually be a gas such as air or nitrogen.
• the gas may be pressurised but will normally be at or near atmospheric
• each half-shell 12, 13 of the casing 11 Around the inner surfaces of each half-shell 12, 13 of the casing 11 are arranged an annular array of cooling vanes 40 which take up convection heat from the gas.
• a cylindrical fibre sheet insulating element 41 which itself is held at a distance from the inner surface of the respective half-shells by the vanes 40 which also act as spacers.
• the element 41 may be made of separate baffle elements affixed together.
• the cooling means also comprises a substantially tubular element 50 which acts to
• the tube 50 being open ended at at least one end so that the surrounding water can flow thereinto and therefrom. It is arranged that the tubular element 50 is mounted for limited axial movement in casing 10.
• radially outer surface 52 of the tube 50 is positioned one or more cylindrical or part-cylindrical insulating elements 53 formed of fibre sheet or similar. These are held in position by cooling vanes 54, which also take up convection heat from the gas in the casing.
• At least one relatively large heat sink 55 is also affixed to surface 52 to take up a large proportion of the heat produced by the equipment 30 for eventual conduction through the tube 50.
• the size and location of the heat sink(s) 55 will be determined in the light of the size and form of the device 30 and the amount of heat expected to be produced thereby; and it is
• the heat sink is mounted directly to the heat producing equipment
• heat sink 55 may be provided with a plurality of radially inwardly extending
• each heat sink 55 is welded or otherwise attached to axially and radially extending projections 50a integral with the wall of the
• tubular element 50 is mounted for limited axial movement in casing 11. This requires the presence of appropriate sealing arrangements to prevent leaking
• the upper half-shell 12 has affixed thereto, as by welding, and after element 50 has been inserted into casing 10, a cylindrical element 60 formed with a bore 61 and a circumferential annular flange 62. Above element 60 is arranged a further cylindrical element
• 63 also formed with a cylindrical bore 64 and a circumferential annular flange 65.
• cylindrical bores 61, 64 are aligned whereby the tubular element 50 can pass therethrough and the flanges 62, 65 are positioned with respective surfaces 66, 67 thereof abutting. Sealing means are provided between the tubular element 50 and one or both of the cylindrical bores 61, 64. As shown the cylindrical bores are formed with respective channel section annular grooves
• At least one of the abutting surfaces 66, 67 also inco ⁇ orates sealing means and, as shown, surface 67 is formed with a channel section groove 72 receiving an O-ring seal 73, which also acts as a back-up seal.
• the tube 50 is mounted for limited axial movement in the casing 11.
• shock absorbing means are provided to prevent damage to the equipment during such movement.
• the shock absorbing means comprises a ring 80 welded or otherwise
• Such resilient means may comprise one or more compression springs or buffer elements formed of elastomeric material.
• the ring 80 itself is formed of elastomeric material, or as a spring washer
• shock absorbing means is provided at the lower region of tube 50.
• the gas in the casing 1 1 may be replaced by a liquid.
• Circulation of the gas or liquid within the casing may involve natural circulation only or
• power equipment comprises a pressure vessel 1 10 having
• liquid 120 e.g. water, methyl alcohol or a proprietary refrigerant.
• chamber 1 12 has a wall 121, which may be arranged vertically, horizontally or at any angle as
• the chamber 112 is shown as constituting the right hand end of the pressure vessel - there may be a similar
• prime mover e.g. an engine and/or transmission equipment, e.g. of
• the device(s) may, if appropriate, be
• the chamber 112 may inco ⁇ orate a forced circulation means, e.g. a pump or swirler, and a magnetic swirler
• the domed element 122 may be formed with ribs, vanes or corrugations.
• a compensator 116 Attached to the chamber 112 via a conduit 115 is a compensator 116, e.g. including a bellows; should there be heat-induced expansion of the liquid to a volume greater than that of the chamber 112, liquid may flow to the compensator 116 and, on the other hand, the volume enclosed by bellows 116 constitutes a reservoir of liquid for the chamber 112.
• Figure 5 differs from that of Figure 4 in that no compensator is provided and it is arranged that the chamber 112 is only partially filled with liquid.
• a volume 130 devoid of liquid is formed at the upper part of the chamber 112 and in taking up heat from the heat source, the liquid is able to boil and form a vapour in volume
• the vapour will assist in heat transfer to the outside water and the latent heat required to turn the liquid into vapour in the first place will give efficient and effective heat transfer, the vaporised liquid will condense on the surface of the volume of the domed element.
• the embodiment of Figure 6 effectively constitutes a modification of the embodiment of Figure 5, in which the volume 130 above the heat transfer liquid is connected to an evacuating pump (not shown) which will ensure that the volume 130 is put under very low
• the evacuating pump is connected to volume 130 via a line 140 inco ⁇ orating a valve 141.
• Figure 7 inco ⁇ orates the evacuation line 140 of Figure 6 but, in addition, a circulating arrangement 150 is provided whereby liquid from the chamber 1 12 is circulated through a heat exchanger 160.
• the heat exchanger 160 will be mounted adjacent to
• lines 171, 172 are connected between the chamber 112 and a heat exchanger 170, but the upper line 172 connects with an upper region of the liquid 120 rather than with the reduced pressure volume 130.
• FIG 9 represents a modification of the Figure 8 embodiment wherein an additional heat exchange arrangement 180 is associated with the heat exchanger 170, the arrangement 180
• the pressure vessel chamber 111 has a volume for containing a fluid, usually gas (e.g. air, or nitrogen under pressure) and in operation it is heated as it passes over heat exchanger 170 and then passes up the inner tube 181 and down the annular passage 183 to dissipate heat to the surrounding water.
• a fluid usually gas (e.g. air, or nitrogen under pressure) and in operation it is heated as it passes over heat exchanger 170 and then passes up the inner tube 181 and down the annular passage 183 to dissipate heat to the surrounding water.
• a fluid usually gas (e.g. air, or nitrogen under pressure) and in operation it is heated as it passes over heat exchanger 170 and then passes up the inner tube 181 and down the annular passage 183 to dissipate heat to the surrounding water.
• One or both tubes 182, 183 may be finned on one or
• Circulation of the air through the tubes may be natural or be forced, e.g. by a fan.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Microelectronics & Electronic Packaging (AREA)
• Power Engineering (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Thermal Sciences (AREA)
• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Sustainable Development (AREA)
• Cooling Or The Like Of Electrical Apparatus (AREA)
• Heat-Exchange Devices With Radiators And Conduit Assemblies (AREA)
• Disintegrating Or Milling (AREA)
• Other Liquid Machine Or Engine Such As Wave Power Use (AREA)

Priority Applications (1)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Related Child Applications (1)

Publications (2)

Family

ID=10800642

Family Applications (2)

Family Applications Before (1)

Country Status (7)

Families Citing this family (26)

Family Cites Families (20)

• 1996
  • 1996-09-26 GB GB9926480A patent/GB2342713B/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 1996-09-26 GB GB9620252A patent/GB2317686B/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
• 1997
  • 1997-09-11 DE DE69734411T patent/DE69734411T2/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1997-09-11 DE DE69727484T patent/DE69727484T2/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1997-09-11 EP EP03000983A patent/EP1310759B1/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1997-09-11 WO PCT/GB1997/002481 patent/WO1998013838A2/en active IP Right Grant
  • 1997-09-11 US US09/269,283 patent/US6145584A/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1997-09-11 EP EP97919145A patent/EP0928491B1/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1997-09-11 BR BRPI9711549-5A patent/BR9711549B1/pt not_active IP Right Cessation
• 1999
  • 1999-03-26 NO NO19991503A patent/NO323663B1/no not_active IP Right Cessation
• 2007
  • 2007-02-22 NO NO20071021A patent/NO335952B1/no not_active IP Right Cessation

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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